Employee Appreciation is Crucial to Your Business. Learn Why!

They say employees make your business go round.

Who is “they”? Well, my coworker that sits right next to me, and me!

We both like to work, but that’s because our company makes sure that we have a positive work environment!

Did you know that recently, one study found that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than unhappy employees.

Can you believe that! So take the time to make sure your employees are happy and appreciated with these 10 employee appreciation ideas!

1. Celebrate Birthdays.

Celebrate those birthdays! (if your staff is okay with it) Birthdays are meant to be celebrated and cherished, so make sure to wish everyone a happy birthday and celebrate! It doesn’t have to be an individual party each time, but at least once a month, plan a meal or a cake to observe all the birthdays that passed that month. Do a little extra for that person, it is their day, after all.

2. Cheers from peers.

With so much going on at once, it’s very easy for awesome accomplishments or milestones to be passed over. So give everyone their chance to shine! Encourage employees to call out the great things that their peers are doing so that it’s called to everyone’s attention, and morale is boosted! Luckily for us, we have a group chat with all employees where we make sure to encourage and bring attention to all the wonderful things employees do.

3. Treats.

You know what’s better than food? Free food! Have a designated treat area, or just randomly leave treats in the break room. Whatever you choose to do, it’s nice to have treats available for everyone, no reason necessary.

4. Staff on the website.

This is a great opportunity for customers to get to know the staff, as well as the staff feeling a sense of pride being on the companies website. If it’s feasible, take the time to showcase all those amazing employees on your website. You can even get a little creative and let them write their own bios or have props in their photos.

5. Don’t miss anniversaries.

The newer generation is more likely to move around in their careers. In fact, a study found that employees are likely to leave after a year of employment. With this in mind, don’t let those anniversaries go unnoticed. Make sure to thank and reward those employees for staying, give them praise and let others know as well. This is their time to shine for being loyal!

6. Dog Days

Of course, this is a case by case situation, but I mean, puppies! If your place of employment is pet-friendly, consider a day where employees can bring their furry four-legged friends in. Set an area and some doggy babysitters, and let your employees enjoy all the love dogs have to give. This would also be a great opportunity for customers to engage as well!

7. Have a suggestion box.

The suggestion box isn’t dead! It’s still a valuable tool to have in the workplace. It’s a safe space for concerns, comments, suggestions. It allows employees to express ideas with anonymity. Take the time with leads to go over these suggestions and act accordingly, you never know what might be in there that could help improve the workplace.

8. Take the staff out to lunch.

This is a great opportunity to get staff out of the office. Whether it’s in small groups or large groups, it’s a great time to step out of their everyday environment to get a breath of fresh air and some good food. Sometimes its easier to talk about things in a more lax environment, versus the office. Can’t take them out? No worries, try catering a lunch in the office, you’re still showing that you care.

9. Get your swag on.

There’s so much to chose from! Water bottles, apparel, stickers, notepads, whatever you chose your employees are sure to love. Make sure to pick quality items that your employees will enjoy and definitely use. Plus, free marketing, right?

10. Give thanks.

Simple, but effective. Employees are there day in and day out, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted. A simple thank you can go such a long way, so make sure to take the time to thank your employees. It shows that you are taking notice of what they do and that you appreciate them. A simple acknowledgment lets them know that their hard work is paying off.

Employee happiness shouldn’t be a one-off thing, it should be an important part of your company culture. Employees are the most important asset of a company! So make sure to put in appreciation for all the things they do for you.